Webbed hand for swimmers



April 19 1927.

1,625,730 A. H. LAKE WEBBED HAND FOR SWIMMERS Filed May 29. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 I /f/ I I 1 O I 1 1,625 730 Apnl 19, 1927. A. H. LAKE 1 WEBBED HAND FOR SWIMMERS Filed May 29. 1926 2 Sheets-Shasta Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

WEBBEID HAND Application filed May 29,

This invention relates to a webbed hand for swimmers and more particularly to a glove-like device'for application to the hand and providing between the fingers a. web increasing the effective surface of the hand.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the web is extended beyond the ends of the fingers to further increase the surface.

i A more. specific object of the invention is to provide noveland improved meansfor supporting the extended portions of the web.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a :device of this character so constructed that the closing action of the hand is notinter'fered with.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the palinf surface of the glove when in extended position is cupped to more efliciently engage the surface of the water.

Theseand other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings,wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1- is a plan view of a webbed hand for swimmers constructed in accordance with one embodiment =of my invention wherein the web is extended beyond the ends of the fingers; 1

Figures 2, 3, 4 and v5 are sections on the line 21-72, 3+3, 44E,.and55 of Figure 1 respectively; a

Figures 6- and?v arerviews of the blanks from/which the glove is constructed;

Figure 8 is a detail view of one of the triangularusections of cloth employed in connectingthe redgesof the notches to draw the isametogether;

Figure 9 is a, perspective of one of the re inforcing elements Figure 10 is a perspective of the reinforc ingi elementemployed between the fingers;

- Figurerll is a planvview of .a slightly modifiedrglove Figure .12 is aperspective view of the re inforcing element employed with this type of gloves Referringznow more particularly to the drawings the device is formed in front and back sections 10 and 11 stitched together about their edges, as at 12, and having further stitching 13 providing pockets for the to reception of the thumb and fingers of the wearerl flhesections 10 and 11. of such FOR SWIMMERS.

1928. Serial No. 112,621.

length that they project beyond the outer ends of the pockets formed for the reception of the fingers and the pockets are so formed that when the hand is engaged therein, the fingers are well spaced. In the spaces formed between the finger pockets, indicated at 14:, reinforcing elements 15 are secured, these elements being preferably in the form of wires, each having their ends formed with an eyed loop 16 through which stitching 17 may be directed to secure the reinforcing element in position. These reinforcing elements serve to support the projecting portions 18 of the palm and back sections of the glove and to maintain the same in line with the fingers and the reinforcing elements have their inner ends arranged in approximate alignment with the second joint of the fingers of the wearer when the hand is inserted in the glove, thus permitting bending ofthe fingers at this joint.

Further reinforcing elements 19 are provided, these elements being each in the form of a piece of wire bent to provide arms 20, 21 extending at opposite sides a finger pocket 14 and having the bight between these arms extended well beyond the end of this finger pocket, so that it likewise serves to support the extended portion 18 of the web. This bight portion and the ends of the arms are preferably provided with eyes 22 through which stitching may be directed to secure the reinforcing element in position and the ends of the arms adjacent the bight portion are curved, as at 23, so that thereinforcing elements, when viewed in sideelevation,

have a concave face opposing the palm se c tion of the glove. This causes the edge of the fiangeto be thrown upwardly of the plane of the hand with the result that the palm surface is concaved and has a more eflicient engagement with the water when glove at the inner surface thereof. The mai,

terial is preferably stitched to this palm sec tion at tl'i-ti i her face thereof, as indicated at 25, to provide a pocket within which this reinforcing element is arranged. At the wrist, each of the sections 10 and 11 has associated therewith an elastic 26 for tight ening the wrist section upon the wrist of the wearer.

I have found that in constructing a glove of this character, when the fingers of the wearer are in position therein, there is slack material between the fingers of the hand and in order to remove this and provide a smooth finish for the glove, I remove from between each finger stall a V-shaped section, the edges of which are drawn together and securely fastened by applying to the front and rear sections triangular pieces 2?. A glove produced in this manner provides a greatly extended water engaging surface, which is relatively rigid and in which a great portion of the strain is placed at the bases of the fingers instead of at the tips thereof, as in the ordinary swimmng aid. The cupping of the palm section further assists in relieving strain upon the fingers and increases the efficiency of the device in its engagementwith the water.

In the form shown in Figure 11, the web is not extended beyond the ends of the fingers. In this construction, the reinforcing elements 28 employed are more clearly shown in Figure 12, each consisting of a U-shaped element having its arms 28 adjacent their bight ends curved to cause cupping of the palm, as in the construction above described and the ends of the arms provided with eyes 29 through which anchor stitching may be directed. While a construction of this character does not give the surface area of the construction originally described, the formation of the webs between the fingers and the cupping of the palm materially increase the efliciency of the glove. In this construction, as in the original construction, the ends of the arms of the reinforcing elements are terminated at the first joint of the finger. In this construction, the reinforcing elements 15 are dispensed with.

Since the constructions hereinbefore set forth are obviously capable of a certain range of change and modificationwithout materially departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structures except as hereinafter claimed.

1. A webbed hand for swimmers comprising a member having a pocket to receive the hand and spread fingers of the wearer and providin a web between the fingers and extended beyond the ends of the fingers and reinforcing elements for the extended portions of the web and extending between the finger receiving portions of the pocket,

the inner ends of said reinforcing elements terminating in approximate alignment with that portion ofthe pocket in which the first joints of the fingers are located.

2. A webbed hand for swimmers comprising a member having a pocket to receive the hand and spread fingers of the wearer and providing a web between the fingers and extended beyond the ends of the fingers and reinforcing elements for the extended portions of the web and extending between the finger receiving portions of the pocket, said reinforcing elements being curved to cup the extended portions of the web at the palm side thereof.

3. A webbed hand for swimmers comprising a member having a pocket to receive the hand and spread fingers of the wearer and providing a web between the fingers and extended beyond the ends of the fin ers and reinforcing elements for the extended portions of the web extending between the finger receiving portions of the pocket, said member being formed in two complementary sections between which said reinforcing elements are arranged.

4. A webbed hand for swimmers comprising a member having a pocket to receive the hand and spread fingers of the wearer and providing a web between the fingers and extended beyond the ends of the fingers and reinforcing elements for the extended portions of the web extending between the finger receiving portions of the pocket, said member being formed in two complementary sections between which said reinforcing elements are arranged, each of said sections be tween the finger receiving sections of the pocket having V-shaped sections removed therefrom, the edges of the openings thus rovided being drawn together and secured.

5. A webbed hand for swimmers comprising a member having a pocket to receive the hand and spread fingers and providing a web between the fingers and reinforcing elements for the perimeter of the webbed hand having portions extending between the finger receiving portions of the pocket, the inner ends of said reinforcin elements terminating in approximate alignment with that portion of the pocket in which the first joints of the fingers are located.

6. A webbed hand for swimmers comprising a member having a pocket to receive the hand and spread fingers and providing a web between the fingers and reinforcing elements for the perimeter of the webbed hand having portions extending between the finger receiving portions of the pocket, the inner ends of said reinforcing elements terminating in approximate alignment with that portion of the pocket in which the first joints of the fingers are located, the outer ends of said reinforcing elements beinrr curved to cup the palm surface of the ham 7. A webbed hand for swimmers comprising a member having a pocket to receive the hand and spread fingers of the wearer and providing a web between the fingers and reinforcing elements for the web and extending between the finger receiving portions of the pocket, said reinforcing elements being curved to cup the web at the palm side thereof.

8. A webbed hand for swimmers comprising a member having a pocket to receive the hand and spread fingers of the wearer and providing a web between the fingers and reinforcing elements for the web extending between the finger receiving portions of the pocket, said member being formed in two complementary sect-ions between which said reinforcing elements are arranged.

9. A webbed hand for swimmers comprisnig a member havlng a pocket to receive -the hand and spread fingers of the wearer ings thus provided being drawn together 30 and secured.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

ALEXANDER HENRY LAKE. 

